Smart grid cyber security: Challenges and solutions

Cyber security in smart grid systems is becoming a major concern throughout the grid communication networks and software platforms that operate and manage the entire grid. The smart grid networks characteristics such as heterogeneity, delay constraints, bandwidth, scalability, and others make it challenging to deploy uniform security approaches all over the networks segments. Therefore, more research is required to develop standards and techniques that meet the smart grid network requirements at a low cost. In this paper, we discuss some of the existing cyber security challenges in smart grid networks, highlight some of the latest solutions, and recommend a new security conceptual model based on the Internet of Things paradigm.